Nut cracking, grading, and kernel separating machine



5 Sheets-Sheet l V/ncenf L. Rodriquez ow uFL M W Mm V. L. RODRIGUEZ Filed July 29, 1938 NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Feb. 6, 1940.

Feb. 6, 1940. v RODRlGUEZ 2,189,678

NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 V /ncen f L. Rodriguez LLMWW 1940- v. L. RODRIGUEZ NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwuc'nf/o b V/ncenf L. Bodwiguez l llHllIlllllllllllllllIllll;

Feb. 6, 1940. v RODRIGUEZ 2,189,678

NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l/l'ncenfL. Rodriquez Wm Feb. 6, 1940. v. 1.., RODRIGUEZ 2,189,678

NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 u. w 6 W w WW 5 w x n d 0 B L m MW w I 1 T w 1r, wr J |P.\ l l I l I I I 1 1 I l l1 5 y 6 5 J Patented Feb. 6, 1940 i UNITED STATES NUT CRACKING, GRADING, AND KERNEL SEPARATING MACHINE Vincent L. Rodriguez, Lbs Angeles, Calif. Application July 29, 1938, Serial No. 222,022

19 Claims.

My invention, which relates to machines for large scale operations ofremoving the kernels of nuts from the shells and separating the kernels into groups or grades according to size, particularly has for its object to provide a very practical machine which, while of sufliciently rugged construction to stand up well when in use, will be economical to build and maintain in use,

one which will eificiently serve the purpose for m' which it has been designed.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide a machine in which the 'nuts are cracked and dropped into a barrel-screen which has several grades of screening, from which the cracked nuts are passed into compartments and from thence onto a travelling conveyor that carries them to the pickers, which pick up the kernels but not the shells. From the pickers the kernels are deposited into off-take chutes and discharged 20 into receptacles provided outside the machine.

' A further object is to provide animproved conveyorand picker system by virtue of which the pickers are-kept'free of the shells and the kernels only are removed from the able combs.

Again, it is an object to provide means Whereby, should ashell become wedged between the picker pins, such shell will be removed by brushes which at the same time serve to push the kernels more securely onto the pins.

Further, the invention has for an object to provide a picker with pins whose free ends are so formed that While they will enter the soft kernels and pick up the same, they will not enter :35 and pick up the shells. I

Further, it is an object to provide means at the advance side of the picker to keepthe kernels and shells in line with the pickers so they do not get in between the rows of picker pins and 40 jam in.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. v

To the attainment of the above objects and ends the invention still further resides in those novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the-detailed description and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a wide elevation of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, looking at the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 .is an end elevation.

picker pins by suit- Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section onthe line l4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical section of one of the pickers and its associated mechanism.

Fig. '7 is a detail horizontal section on line Tl of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal section on line 8- of Fig. 6. I

Fig. Q is an enlarged elevational view of one of the picker pins.

Fig. 10 is a magnified the'same.

' Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

in which like numerals and letters of reference designate like parts in all the figures, I represents the bed or base of the machine. At one end there is locateda standard 2 carrying a platform 14 on which is another standard 3 having a bearing 5 for the higher end of the inclined shaft 9 of the barrel-screen grader and separator. The other end of the shaft 9 is journalled in a bearing 5 on a standard 4 projecting from base I upwardly.

The barrel-screen is composed of several (three being shown) sections 6, I, 8, the fine section 6, being at the high end, the coarse section 8 at the low end, and the medium section I in the. middle.

The shaft 9 carries a worm gear I 0 which meshes with the Worm H on the worm shaft l2 which is mounted in bearings I l-l4 and carries a bevel gear l3 at its lower end (see Figs. 2 and 5). The bevel gear 13 meshes with a bevel gear IE on a shaft 16 that projects into the gear box 23 v and carries a spur gear ll. The gear I! meshes with a pinion I8 on a countershaft 19 that is journalled in bearings in box 23 and also carries v a spur gear 20. The gear 20 meshes with'a pinion 2| on the shaft 22 which is driven by a suitable motor 27 whose shaft 26 has a pulley that drives pulley 24 on shaft 22 through a belt 28.

On each side of the machine are standards 29- Y which have suitable bearings in which the shafts 30 and ill that carry the pulley and 36, respectively, are journalled. The pulleys 35 and 36 are connected by a belt 31. The shaft l6 has'a pulley 32 over which, and over a pulley 33 on shaft 30, a driving belt 34 passes.

Each'shaft 30 and 3| carries the end pulleys I00 around which the endless conveyor belt 58 passes.

Mounted between the barrel-screen and the view of the free end of conveyor belt is a series of pickersv These pickers comprise shafts 38, 33 and id, mounted in suitable hearings in the bearing carriers 41 secured to the side plates 42 one of which, at least, is provided with conveniently located transparencies forming windows 23, 44, through which the internal workings of the picker mechanism and its immediately cooperative parts may be inspected.

The 38. 353 and as are provided with sprockets "35 over which the picker driving chain 48 passes. The shaft 36 also has a sprocket 46 under which the chain passes, an idler sprocket 42' being provided adjacent sprocket 46 around which the chain also passes (see Fig. 2). Another idler sprocket 69 insures proper contact between the chain 48 and the intermediate sprocket 45.

By referring now particularly to Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, the construction of the pickers will be made clear. Each picker comprises a shaft on which a drum 59 is mounted. On the periphery of the drum is a band 5! through which the kernel-picking pins pass, the heads 52 of the pins lying against the drum 5B. The band 5| is secured to the drum in any desired way so as to constitute a unitary structure with the same. The picker pins 52 do not have pointed ends. On the contrary, the ends are rounded and blunt as at 52 shown in Figs. 9 and 10, so that they will i not stick into and pick up shell.

- deals only with the finest size of shell and kernel All pickers, except the first, include means to prevent shell and kernels from jamming between the row of teeth on the drums. This device is not found to be necessary for the picker which since the pieces are too small to clog the picker-- although I wish it understood that it may be provided for the first picker also should it be found desirable in practice.

The device referred to comprises a shaft 53 journalled in suitable hearings in the side plates 42; on this shaft is a set of discs 5! which lie between the rows of pins 52 (see Fig. 8) and have their peripheries corrugated or gear-toothed. The shaft 53 is turned by being connected with a shaft 54 of a roller 56 by means of a belt and pulley connection The roller 58 is turned by the conveyor belt 53 which passes over it and under the drum 5-6. The shaft 54 is so positioned that the belt 58 where it passes from pulley 56 to the under side of the picker and beneath the discs 51 is downwardly inclined as at 58*, the belt being inclined upwardly as at 58* when it leaves the picker.

Each picker also includes a comb 59 which removes the kernels from the pins 52 and deflects the kernels into the off-take chute 53 by which they are directed to the outside of the machine and drop into containers (not shown) provided for the reception of the kernels.

Between each barrel-screen section and beneath the same there is located a separatingpartition 6!! at either side of which an inclined bottom plate 6 i--62 is located for deflecting falling nuts to the conveyor belt 58 beneath, the

eral path and the periphery of the drum 50. These brushes, while able to sweep off any shells that may lie between annular rows of pins, also serve to push the kernels farther onto the pins, and thus ensure the picker against throwing off the kernels prematurely. By this construction and arrangement of brushes the brushes do not sweep the meat off the pins but only clear out the shells which lie caught between adjacent pins.

At each side of the barrel-screen 618 are contour plates 68 and at the ends end plates 69 are provided. The plates 68 have flanges III by means of which they are secured to the side plates 42.

ll designates the final discharge chute through which the shells and the kernels which do not pass through the walls of sections 6--l--3 of the barrel-screen are discharged.

A fan 72 and its motor 13 are mounted on the standard 2 and directed to blow a current of air beneath the ends of the chutes 63, etc., to blow the dust and thin inner skin of the nut away from the falling meat.

By referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the construction of the nut cracker will be made clear. Upon supports 75 which extend upwardly from platform 5'4 are side plates 82 which carry bearings 9! for a cam shaft 80. The shaft is driven by a pulley T9 and belt 8! from the pulley ll on the shaft 18 of the motor 76 that is mounted on the platform 14. A hopper 33 is mounted across from plate 82 to plate 82 and between these plates the cracking jaws and 93 are mounted.

The jaw 35 is pivotally mounted at 84 and has a rod 85 at its lower end, which rod passes through slots 81 in the plate 82 and carries a link that connects to an arm 89 on the rock shaft 88 on which jaw 93 is secured. The jaw 93 has a block which is held against the cam 92 by a spring 94. A chute 96 delivers the crushed nuts into the high end of the barrel-screen.

At the entrant end of the machine is a baffleboard 91 which cooperates with the adjacent inclined plate 6| to deflect the material falling from section 6 to conveyor belt 58.

Any suitable means may be provided, such as a belt tightener 98, to keep the conveyor belt and drive chain sufficiently taut and as such tighteners are well known, detailed description thereof is thought to be unnecessary.

99 indicates the end where all shells from the conveyor are discharged.

In using my machine, power from any suitable source is supplied to the motors 21, 16 and 13. The nuts are placed in hopper 83 and crushed by the jaws 85-433 as the nuts gravitate toward chute 96. The cracked nuts pass down chute 96 and are delivered into the high end of the barrelscreen. The fine particles pass through mesh 6. the next size through mesh 1, the next through mesh 8, and those left pass out over chute H.

As the particles fail from the barrel-screen. they are deflected onto the conveyor belt 53 and are carried down beneath the picker drums, where the pins stick into the kernels and the shells are passed along.

Since the discs El rotate in a direction opposite to the movement oithe conveyor 58, they will retard any material that would otherwise pass between the annular rows of pins and cause the material to line up with the pins, thereby ensuring efficient action of the pickers and preventing, as much as possible, shells from being caught between. pins. Should any shells. get caught between the pins'after passing the discs 51, the brushes 6465 will dislodge them. :As the pickers rotate they carry the kernels .to the combsv which strip the kernelsfrom the pins and effect their discharge from the machine via chute .Attention is particularly called to thefact that the upper flight of the conveyor belt 58 is not on a level, but is curved, the picker inclining down on the near side and up on the far side of the pickerdrum. 1

From the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and ad- 1 vantages of my invention will be clear tothose skilled in the art to which mWhat I claim is: i

' 1. In a machine of the class described, a base,

it relates.

standards on the base having bearings, a barrel-Q screen grader having a shaft mounted in said bearings and inclined downwardly from its entrant end to its exit end, side and end contour plates for said grader, said grader having screensections of progressively increasing mesh from its entrant end towards its exit end, a set-of pickers beneath the grader, one for each screensection, a belt conveyor beneath said pickers to cooperate with the same, means to incline the belt. downwardlyas it approaches the pickers, said pickers eachincluding a rotating drum having radially disposed kernel-picking pins on'its periphery, a comb for removing the kernels from the .pins, means to deliver the kernels from the 1, machine at each picker, and means adjacent the entrant side of a picker for keeping the material from crowding at the place where the conveyor and pins meet.

.2. In a machine of the class described, a ropins, and a conveyor belt running beneath the drum in proximity tothe pins thereof, in combination with rotating discs adjacent the conveyor at the'ingoing side of'the drum and projecting between the rows of pins,a roller over which said belt passes, the'movement of the belt I serving to. turn said roller, power-transmitting connections between said roller and said discs, and means to drive said'belt and said drum.

4,.In a machine of the class'described, a rov tating picking drum having radially disposed circumferential rows of curved blunt-end picking pins, and a conveyor belt. running beneath the drum in proximity to the pins thereof, in combination with rotating discs adjacent the con- "veyor at the ingoing side of the drum-andprojecting between'the rows of pins, means for operating the aforesaid drum, belt and discs, and at least one brush located at. the far side of said drum and shaped to sweep off shells caught between the picker pins and to push the kernels on the pins towards the drum. l

5. Ina machine of the'class described, a

tating picking drum having radially disposed circumferential i rows of curved blunt-end picking pins, and a conveyor-belt running beneath the drumin proximity to the pins thereof, in com,- bination withrotating discs adjacent the conveyor atthe ingoing side of the drum and projecting between the rows of pins, a roller over which said belt passes, the movement of the belt serving toturn "said :roller, power-transmitting connections between said roller and saiddiscs,

means to drive said belt and said drum, and at least one brush located at the far side of said drum and-shaped to sweep ofi shells caught between the picker pins and to push the kernels on the pins-towards the drum. I

- ;6. In a machine of the class described, a flexi ble endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers'above and in cooperamachine, the' 'shells being conveyed away by the beltconveyor and finally discharged fromthe machine, means for supportingand guiding said belt at two places, one before the drum and one after the drum, the places where the belt is supported being positioned above the lowermost po-, sition of the picker'pins, by virtue of all of which the unsupported portion of the belt passing di-' rectly beneath the drum. is urged againstthe drum due to the flexibility andte'nsion of the belt and the action of the supporting and guiding means. I v v I 7. In a machine of the class described, a flexible endless-belt conveyor and means, to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, said belt being inclined downwardly as it approaches each picker'and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, meansto prevent material piling up on the conveyor as it reaches the pickers, means for supporting and guidingv said belt at two places,

one before the drumand one after the drum; the places where the belt is supported being.

ported portion of the belt passing directly be-l neath the 'drum is urged against the drum due to the flexibility and tension of the belt and the action of the supportingxand guiding means.

8. In a machine of the class described, an endmachine, saidv pickers including rotating drums having circumferential rows of radial picking pins, and means forlining up the material on the conveyor with the rows of pins as the material approaches the picker drums.

9. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means. to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative-relation to. said belt,- =said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, and sets of rotating discs cooperating with the belt and the pickers and disposed adjacent the places where the conveyor belt delivers the material to the pickers for preventing the material from piling up at those places.

10. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, sets of rotating discs cooperating with the belt and the pickers and disposed adjacent the places where the conveyor belt delivers the material to the pickers for preventing the material from piling up at those places, and means operated by the conveyor belt for rotating said discs in a direction opposite that in which the belt moves.

11. In a machine of the class described, an

endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto 1 said conveyor at places in advance of each picker,

means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, and sets of rotating discs cooperating,

with the belt and the pickers and disposed adjacent the places where the conveyor belt delivers the material to the pickers for preventing the material from piling up at those places, said discs having toothed peripheries.

12. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means to, drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, sets of rotating discs cooperating with the belt and the pickers and disposed adjacent the places where the conveyor belt delivers the material to the pickers for preventing the material from piling up at those places, and means operated by the conveyor belt for rotating said discs in a direction opposite that in which the belt moves, said discs having toothed peripheries.

13. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, and means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, said pickers each including a rotating drum having onits periphery rows. of picking pins, combined with a brush the ends of whose bristles liev in a plane inclined to the periphery of the drum.

14. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches each picker and then upwardly away from each picker, and means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, said pickers each including a rotating drum having on its periphery rows of picking pins, combined with a brush the ends of whose bristles lie in a plane inclined to the periphery of the drum, the edge of the brush remote from the drum lying outside the annular path through which the ends of the pins pass while the edge of the brush nearest the drum terminates within the space between the drum and said annular path, by virtue of which the brush will sweep out material that is carried by the drum and is not impaled on the pins.

15. In a machine of the class described, an endless-belt conveyor and means to drive the same, a plurality of pickers above and in cooperative relation to said belt, said pickers being spaced apart, means to deliver'cracked nuts onto said conveyor at places in advance of each picker, means for inclining said belt downwardly as it approaches eachpicker and then upwardly away from each picker, means to comb the kernels from the pickers and deliver the same from the machine, said pickers each including a rotating drum having on its periphery rows of picking pins, combined with a brush the ends of whose bristles lie in a plane inclined to the periphery of the drum, the edge of the brush remote from the drum lying outside the annular path through which the ends of the pins pass while the edge of the brush nearest the drum terminates within the space between the drum and said annular path, by virtue of which the brush will sweep out material that is carried by the drum and is not impaled on the pins, and means to prevent material piling up on the conveyor as it approaches the picker drums and to guide the material into alignment with the rows of pins.

16. In a machine of the character stated, a picker comprising a rotating drum having spaced rows of picking pins on its circumference, a belt conveyor for delivering material to the picker, means to prevent material piling up on the belt as it approaches the drum, and means on the far side of the drum for clearing unimpaled material from between the pins and pushing the impaled material further onto the pins.

1'7. In a machine ofthe character stated, a picker comprising a rotating drum having spaced rows of picking pinson its circumference, a belt conveyor for delivering material to the picker, means to prevent material piling up on the belt as it approaches the drum, and means on the far side of the drum for clearing unimpaled material from between the pins and pushing the impaled material further onto the pins, said preventing means comprising a shaft paralleling the axis of the drum and carrying a set of toothed discs which project between rows of teeth and whose peripheries are located inproximity to the belt conveyor, and means to turn said disc-carrying shaft. 1

18. In a machine of the character stated, a

picker comprising a rotating drum having spaced rows of picking pins on its circumference, a belt conveyor for delivering material to the picker, means toprevent material piling up on the belt as it approaches the drum, and means on the far side of the drum for clearing unimpaled material from between the pins and pushing the impaled material further ontothe pins, said clearing means comprising at least one brush the outer ends of whose bristles lie in a plane inclined to the drum in such position that one edge of the brush lies at the extreme periphery of the drum and its pins while the other edge lies within the path of the bristles for purposes specified.

19. In a machine of the character described, a

rotating picker drum having rows of picking pins on its circumference, a material conveyor-belt running beneath said drum and engaged by the pins thereof, means to elevate said belt to provide an upwardly inclined portion and a downwardly inclined portion at the approach side of the drum, the downwardly inclined portion being adjacent the drum, means to deliver material ontosaid belt on the upwardly inclined portion, and means cooperating with said downwardly inclined portion and with the rows of picker pins for preventing material being piled up and getting between the pins at the approach side of the drum.

- VINCENT L. RODRIGUEZ. 

